A Place In The Sun

First of all, can we just talk about the fact that this is Lake Michigan. Seriously. The Western shore of the great glove state is one of America’s last hidden gems. I almost don’t want to write this post because it is so beautifully unspoiled. I went to college in Ann Arbor and spent a summer in Interlochen and had never been to this beautiful shore until my friend Meghan’s wedding last summer (posted here). The lake is clear blue and shark-free, the shores are sugary sandy and there’s no one there. I totally get why Mario Batali takes up residence there every summer, which leads me to the point of this post:

I’ve always wanted to have one special place to call home for a few weeks or maybe even a month during the summer. A place that is friendly and that I can’t wait to get to, a place where I know the local wine shop owner’s name and more importantly- he knows mine, and a place where my kids can make magical memories.

I was fortunate in my youth to travel like crazy- hence my perpetual wanderlust- but we always went somewhere different returning to very few places more than once, namely Jackson Hole and Santa Fe (ahhh, the West- how I miss thee). I loved that we always picked somewhere new to explore and it gave me a chance to see the world, but something in me now longs for a sense of tradion.

I’ve been desktop traveling along with other families’ and their summer vacations- boy, we are getting awfully voyeuristic as a society aren’t we- while I try to figure out where my family should land each summer. A few locales that inspire:

Some drool-worthy images from Batali’s summer in Michigan:

I’ts just such an American summer, isn’t it.

Since moving to VA., I constantly see bumper stickers with the letters OBX on them. For years I had no clue why so many Virginians felt propelled to paste these letters onto the behinds of their cars. For those in the know, OBX is short for the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I have not had the pleasure of visiting these pretty beaches but the people around here sing their praises. We may try it out for ourselves next summer. In the meantime, I followed along with Liz Stanley of Say Yes to Hoboken and her family’s annual Fourth of July trip to OBX. Doesn’t it look dreamy!

A few close friends call Vermont, Canada, and Montauk home for a few weeks every summer. These days I’m lucky if I can get an overnight in Rehoboth Beach, but I would like to make an effort to carve out the time for some proper summer R&R, and make it an annual event.

My friend Molly and her husband Oliver met as canoe camp counselors in Canada. Right next to that camp is a secret little place created for adults who are dropping their kids off at camp- an adult canoe camp. Arowhon Pines Camp in Algonquin Park, Canada is an International destination. On their 2-day stay, they met couples from Japan, Switzerland and Germany. Molly and Oliver return each summer to this part of the world for a nostalgic stay. Summer camp for adults- if you read this blog, you know how I feel about that. Sign me up! I love this place already.

My friends The Fricks spend their summers in Montauk. They graciously host boat-loads of people, including my lucky self and my family, in an impossibly fantastic house on the water. Montauk is pretty bad ass.

These kiddos get their annual dose of Americana at the Bristol, Vermont Fourth of July Parade. A major event in this small town complete with horses, lots of flags and plenty of firetrucks. My friend Natalia and her family love spending family time in Vermont every summer.

Here’s a dose of lovely Lake Michigan from the flip side- the Wisconsin side, that is. My friend Kristen and her family spend every Fourth of July at her in-laws’ lake house in gorgeous Door County, WI. I have always heard such amazing things about this part of the country- it’s definitely on the list- and her photos are so swoonful, I’m inspired to check it out. Look at that pink sky!

Where do you “summer” (how very Country Club of me, right)? I’d love to hear about the places that you love to return to each year.

Fireworks in Sturgeon Bay:

{Images: Lake Michigan- Greener Travel Guides, Batali’s Michigan- Mario Batali, Outer Banks- Liz Stanley, Vermont- Natalia Goldman, Canada- Molly Griffin, Door County- WI.: Kristen Schaeffer}

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